Lamp housing assembly

ABSTRACT

A lamp housing assembly, including a baseplate and two substantially identical molded members, for supporting light bulbs used in illuminating regions of a display panel. The two molded members are bonded together and the baseplate is removably attached to the bonded molded members. The bonded molded members are adapted to receive springs, which removably couple the lamp housing assembly to a display panel backplate. The lamp housing assembly can also be removably fastened to mounting strips by projections coupled to the baseplate. A plurality of lamps, secured in the lamp housing assembly by the baseplate provide continuous illumination in event of failure of one of the lamps. Removable partitions can be inserted in the lamp housing assembly, utilizing redundant light bulbs to illuminate separate areas of the display panel. Apertures are provided to ventilate the heat produced by the bulbs, while minimizing stray light.

United States Patent [191 Blomstedt Nov. 27, 1973 [73] Assignee:Honeywell Information Systems Inc'.,

Waltham, Mass.

[22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 279,558

[75] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl 240/73 R, 240/2.l, 240/8.16, 240/52.1, 340/381 [51] Int. ClF215 1/02 [58] Field of Search 240/73 R, 73 DA,

240/73 QD, 52.1, 2.1, 1 R, 8.16; 340/381 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,555,543 1/1971 Lynch 240/52.l X 3,703,720 11/1972Cartelli. 340/381 3,681,552 8/1972 Bailey 340/381 X 2,797,407 6/1957Greenlee et a1. 340/381 X 3,639,745 2/1972 Shiki 240/52.1 X 3,508,0434/1970 Dellert 240/52.l

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,480,168 4/1967 France 240/8.l6 809,1302/1959 Great Britain... 240/8.16 618,745 4/1961 Canada 240/8.l6 706,5923/1954 Great Britain 240/8.l6

8/1960 Germany ..240/8.l6 2/1965 Germany ..240/8.l6

Primary Examiner-Richard L. Moses Attorney-William W. Holloway, Jr. eta1.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT A lamp housing assembly, including a baseplate and twosubstantially identical molded members, for supporting light bulbs usedin illuminating regions of a display panel. The two molded members arebonded together and the baseplate is removably attached to the bondedmolded members. The bonded molded members are adapted to receivesprings, which removably couple the lamp housing assembly to a displaypanel backplate. The lamp housing assembly can also be removablyfastened to mounting strips by projections coupled to the baseplate. Aplurality of lamps, secured in the lamp housing assembly by thebaseplate provide continuous illumination in event of failure of one ofthe lamps. Removable partitions can be inserted in the lamp housingassembly, utilizing redundant light bulbs to illuminate separate areasof the display panel. Apertures are provided to ventilate the heatproduced by the bulbs, while minimizing stray light.

16 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEU NUVZ 71973 SHEET 1 BF 4 PATENTEDNHV 2 71973 SHEET 3 0F 4 1 LAMP HOUSINGv ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION translucentregions of adisplay panel. The illumination:

of the translucent areas is the result of activation of lamps behind thedisplay panel in response to appropriate signals. Lamp housing assemblyunits structurally support the light bulbs and optically isolate thetranslucent regions.

It is known in the prior. art to fabricate lamp housing assembly unitsfrom single blocks of material. These units are typically machinedorcast from metal and;

provide support for amultiplicity of light-bulbs for rea sons concernedwith economy of fabrication. Another approach is to provide compartmentsfor the light bulbs formed by regions of interlaced opa'que strips. Thelight bulbs themselves are supported on a plate attached'tothe rear ofthe interlaced strips. The plurality. of light bulbs provideillumination for a multipicity'of translucent regions of the displaypanels. However, a lamp housing assembly, which contains several lightbulbs, or the compartment assembly restricts the variety. of displaypanel configurationswhich can be accomodated. Moreover, the reduction ofthe number of lamps in each lamp housing'assembly, to increase thenumberof compatible display panel configurations, results in anunacceptable increase in the-cost illumination of each translucentdisplay area. I

The lamp housing assembly units of the prior art typically provide'asingle method of coupling housing units to a display unit, therebylimiting the different types of display configurations with which thelamp-housing assembly units may beutilized.

In many display applications, a translucent area is normally illuminatedby more than one lamp-to provide an operable display even in thepresence of a single lamp failure. Thislamp redundancyfeatureisunimportant, however, in many display applicationswhere eachlight bulb can be-used to illuminate a separate-region of the displaypanel. In the prior art, no methodis pro'-- vided for convenientlychanging'a lamp housingassembly to or from a lamp redundancy mode ofoperation.

The heat of the light bulbs'is ventilated by apertures.

in the lamp housing assembly unit. These apertures require additionalfabrication in thelamphousing assemblies of the prior art.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to or to illuminatean area of a display panel with at least two lightbulbs according to therequirements of the application.

It is another object of the. present invention to provideheat-ventingapertures without increasing the complexity of fabrication.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a methodfor conveniently reconfiguringarrangements of lamp housing: assemblyunitsrto be compatible with different display configurations.

It is still another objectof the present invention to provide a singleinexpensive lamp housing assembly.

- without requiring the presence ofalargemultiplicity of light bulbs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The aforementioned and other objectsareaccomplished, according to the present invention, by a lamp housingassembly comprised of a baseplate and' two substantially identicalmolded housing units. The molded housing units are placed opposedly andbonded togetherv toform a lamp housing assembly body. The baseplate isdemountably attached to. the assembly body. and, in addition toprovidingadditional strength for the lamphousingassembly', removablyvsecures a plurality of light bulbs'inside the assemblyibody.

The lamp housing assembly is adapted to receive" springs which provideapparatus for removably: attaching the lamp housing assembly to adisplay panel unit. Projections, coupled to the baseplate, provide analternativemethod of removably attaching the lamp housing assembly tothe ventilation panel unit.

The molded housing units are fabricatedso thatone or moreremovable-partitionscan be attachedto the as-- sembly body to isolateoptically each one" or selected groupsof the plurality of light bulbs.The structure of the molded. housing units provided nentilationapertures-in the assembly body without additional fabrication.

These and other featuresof the invention will be understood upon readingof the following description along with the drawings;

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is' an exploded perspectiveview of a lamp housing assembling according'to the preferredembodiment.One of the two substantially identical members demountably couplingthe'lamp housing assembly to adisplay panel backplate.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a methodofdemount' ably coupling-thelamp housing assembly to a backplate of=a display panel.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a method of demountably coupling thelamp housing assembly to mounting strips behind a display panel;

DESCRIPTION OF'THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Detailed Description of theFigures Referring now to FIG. l,'a schematic perspective diagram of aportion of a'Lamp" Housing. Assembly is shown. A Lamp Housing Unit 20, aremovable partition 30', a'Base plate 10, Light Bulbs 40,and-aLeaf'Spring Unit 50 are shown. A second substantially identical.Lamp Housing Unit 20, positioned opposedly to the first Housing Unit 20,and a second substantially identical Leaf Spring Unit 50 are ommittedfrom FIG. 1. The arrangement of these elements is evident from FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, a plan view of Baseplate 10, theelements comprising Baseplate are shown. Baseplate 10 is comprised ofaconducting ma terial and forms an electrical connection for Light Bulbs40. Projections 11 of Baseplate 10 are used to couple an electricalcontact to the Lamp Housing Assembly and/or to demountable couple theLamp Housing Assembly mechanically to a display unit.

Baseplate 10 has two Baseplate Openings 13 for Positioning Light Bulbs40. Conducting Lips 41 prevent Light Bulbs 40 from passing completelythrough Openings 13, as well as providing an electrical contact betweenthe Light Bulbs 40 and Baseplate 10.

Light Bulbs 40 are removably secured in Openings 13 by ConductingSprings 14. Spring Openings 16 are adapted to engage Protuberances 42 ofLight Bulbs 40, thereby securing Light Bulbs 40 in Baseplate Openingsl3. Conducting Springs 14, by mechanically contacting Protuberances 42,provide second electrical terminals for Light Bulbs 40. ConnectionOpenings provide a convenient method for attaching electrical leads froma power source to Conducting Springs 14.

Conducting Springs 14 are electrically isolated from Conducting Lips 41by Insulating Regions 43 of the Light Bulbs 40, and are electricallyisolated from Base plate by Insulating Washers l9.

Notches 12 in Baseplate 10 have been provided for positioning anddemountably securing Baseplate 10 to a Lamp Housing Body 5. The LampHousing Body 5 is comprised of two substantially identical Lamp HousingUnits 20, positioned opposedly and ultrasonically bonded together in thepreferred embodiments.

Referring next to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, which is a plan view of a LampHousing Unit 20, the elements of the Lamp Housing Units 20 are shown. Inthe preferred embodiment, Lamp Housing Units 20 have been molded fromhigh impact plastic, but other materials can be used.

Ventilation Openings 21 provide aperatures in the Lamp Housing Body 5 tovent air heated by the Light Bulbs 40. Lamp Openings 22 providestructure which allows Light Bulbs 40 to extend into the Lamp HousingBody 5. Housing Openings 23 are provided for additional hot airventilation or can be used to couple a Wire Spring Unit, used in placeof the Leaf Spring Unit 50 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4. Housing Openings23 can also be used to align and support a plurality of Lamping HousingAssemblies, which are positioned side by sidev Housing Rim 24 of LampHousing Unit 20 provides additional strength for the Lamp Housing Body.Housing Rim 24 is also used in combination with Leaf Spring Units 21 orWire Spring Units to secure a Lamp Housing Assembly in a Display PanelBackplate Opening 61 ofa Display Panel Backplate 60 (i.e., shown in FIG.5).

Projections 25 are inserted into Holes 26, when two Lamp Housing Units20 are placed opposedly, to position accurately the Lamp Housing Units20 of the bonded Lamp Housing Body. Housing Ribs provide the excessmaterial used in ultrasonically bonding the two Lamp Housing units 20together.

Housing Side 34, extending below Lamp Housing Base 33, is coupled toBaseplate Ridge 28 and Leaf Spring Ridge 29. Baseplate 10 is removablysecured between Base Plate Ridge 28 and Leaf Spring Ridge 29 of the twobonded Lamp Housing Units when Protrusion 17 is coupled with Notch 12.Projection Coupling 18, which supports Protrusion 17, providessufficient flexibility so that Protrusion 17 can be extracted from Notch12 and Baseplate 10 can be withdrawn from the lamp housing Body.

Leaf Spring Unit 50 is shown FIG. 1 and, on a plan view, in FIG. 4. LeafSpring Units 50 are attached to the Lamp Housing Body when SpringSurface 52 is supported by the upper surface of Leaf Spring Ridge 29 andSpring Finger 51 is engaged by Grove 27 in Lamp Housing Base 33. TheLeaf Springs 53 of Leaf Spring Unit 50 extend the Leaf Spring Edges 54after passing through the Display Panel Baseplate Opening 61 of DisplayPanel Backplate 60 (Le, FIG. 5). Then the Lamp Housing Assembly isdemountable secured to the Display Panel Backplate by Leaf Spring Edges54 and Lamp Housing Rim 24.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, two Light Bulbs 40 are provided ineach Lamp Housing Assembly. To isolate the Light Bulbs optically, aPartition 30 can be removably secured in the Lamp Housing Body 5.Partition 30 has Partition Ridges 33 which fit into Partition Resseses32 of the Lamp Housing Unit 20. The positioning of Partition 30 isdetermined by Partition Guides 31 of Lamp Housing Unit 20, positioned inthe interior of the Lamp Housing Body.

Referring next to FIG. 5, a translucent Region 71 in a Display Panel isshown. Immediately behind the Display Panel 70, Display Panel Backplate60 is positioned so that Display Panel Backplate Opening 61 is directlybehind the Translucent Area 71. The Lamp Housing Assembly is coupled inBackplate Opening 61 by compressing the Leaf Springs 53 of Leaf SpringUnit 50. After passing through the Display Panel Backplate Opening 61,the Leaf Springs 53 expand so that the Lamp Housing Assembly is securedto the Display Panel Backplate 60 by the underside of Housing Rim 24 andthe Leaf Spring Edges 54. To remove the Lamp Housing Assembly, the LeafSpring Unit 50 is manually contracted so that passage through theDisplay Panel Backplate Opening 61 is possible. The Display PanelBackplate 60 must be sufficiently close to Display Panel 70 to preventstray light from reaching adjoining Translucent Areas.

Instead of Leaf Spring Units 50, Wire Spring Units, coupled to the LampHousing Assembly 5, (Le. to Opening 23), may be employed in a similarfashion.

Referring next to FIG. 6, Mounting Strips with appropriately positionedMounting Slits 81, 82, 83, etc can be employed to detachably mount theLamp Housing Assembly. Projections 11 are inserted in appropriate pairsof Mounting Slits 81, and not only support the Lamp Housing Assemblybehind a Translucent Portion 71 of Display Panel 70, but also provide anelectrical connection for the Baseplate l0. Mounting Strips 80 must besufficiently near to Display Panel 70 to prevent stray light fromreaching adjoining Translucent Areas. A second Lamp Housing Assembly maybe positioned side-by-side with a first Assembly by placing the secondAssembly in Mounting Slits 83. Placing one Baseplate Projection l 1 inTerminalStrip Opening 82, the second Baseplate Projection 11 beinginserted in an opening in an appropriately located Mounting Slit,Lamp'Housing Assemblies can be positioned end-to-end.

Application of the Preferred Embodiment plate 10. Light Bulbs areaccessible from the rear of a I Lamp Housing Assembly so thatreplacement of the Light Bulbs is possible without disturbing thedisplay panel configuration.

The Lamp Housing Assembly, according to the preferred embodiment,contains two light Bulbs 40. With the dividing Partition 30 removed, thetwo Light Bulbs 40 provide a redundancy feature important in selectedapplications. The arrangement with two bulbs permits the maximumflexibility of display configuration, while maintaining the redundancyfeature. When the Partition 30 is replaced in the Lamp Housing Assembly,two separate display regions may illuminated, individually orcollectively.

The two methods of mounting a Lamp Housing Assembly, shown in FIG. 5 andFIG. 6, provide flexibility in display configurations possible. DisplayPanel Backplate Openings may be added with comparative ease. Similarly,the positions of the Mountings Stripsand the Mounting Slits can beconveniently altered. Because each Lamp Housing Assembly in thepreferred embodiment contains only two Light Bulbs, additionalflexibility is achieved.

In the preferred embodiment, two Light Bulbs have been employed in theLamp Housing Assembly. However a Lamp Housing Assembly can beconstructed with several Light Bulbs. For example, a Lamp HousingAssembly with ten Light Bulbs and nine Partitions could be used toilluminate an in-line decimal display.

In the preferred embodiments shown in FIG. and FIG. 6, a translucentportion of a Display Panel 70 is demonstrated. However the translucentportion of the I display can be attached to the front of the LampHousing Assembly itself. Thus for example in FIG. 5, Translucent Portion71- is coupled directly to Lamp Housing Body 5 and the Display Panel 70is not used. This display system has greater flexibility than theillumination of a part of a fixed Display Panel.

The above description is included to illustrate the operation of thepreferred embodiment and is not meant to limit the scope of theinvention. The scope of the invention is to be limited only by the thefollowing claims. From the above discussion, many variations will beapparent to one skilled in the art that would yet be encompassed by thespirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A lamp housing assembly for supporting a plurality of lamps in adisplay unit comprising:

at least one removable partition;

a first part including a base section, first housing wall, a secondhousing wall and a third housing wall, said first housing wall extendingabove an upper surface at an exterior side of said base section, saidsecond and said third housing walls extending above said upper surfaceat ends of said base section, said first housing wall connected to saidsecond and third housing walls, said base-section having portionsremoved from an interiorside of said base section, said first housingwall including positioning means;

a second part substantially identical "to said first molded part, saidinterior sides of said .parts bonded together, wherein said thirdhousing wall of each of said parts is bonded to said second housingwalls of a remaining one of said part, said first, second and thirdhousing walls forming an interior region of said lamp housing assembly,said lamps extending into said interior region through apertures formedby said portions removed from said base section, and said removablepartition positioned in said interior region by said positioning meansfor optically separating at least one of said lamps from a remainder ofsaid lamps; and

a base plate including means for removably coupling said plurality oflamps, said first and second parts further including fourth wallsextending below a lower surface of said exterior side of said basesection, said fourth walls further including first grooves generallyparallel to said lower surface on interior sides of said fourth walls,said base plate slidably mounted in said first grooves.

2. The lamp housing assembly of claim 1 wherein said base plate includesa first coupling means for coupling sa'id assembly to said display unit.

' 3. The lamp housing assembly of claim 2 wherein said base plateincludes at least two notches and wherein each of said first groovescontains a flexible projection, said flexible projection of said firstand second parts engaging said grooves for positioning said base platere.- movably in said first groovesj 4. The lamp housing assembly ofclaim 3 further including at least one leaf spring, wherein each of saidfourth walls includes a second groove generally parallel to said lowersurface, and disposed betweensaid first groove and said lower surface,wherein each of said first, second and third wallscontain a flangeexterior to said lamp housing assembly, said leaf spring being coupledto said lamp housing assembly by engaging said second grooves, saidexterior flange and said coupled leaf spring forming a second couplingmeans for coupling said lamp housing assembly to said display unit.

5. The lamp housing assembly of claim 3 further including a wire spring,wherein each of said first housing walls including an opening, said wirespring being coupled to said lamp housing assembly be engaging saidopening, said coupled wire spring and said exterior flange providingthird coupling means for coupling said lamp housing assembly to saiddisplay unit.

6. A display unit lamp housing module, said lamp housing module used inconjunction with a base plate and at least one leaf spring, said baseplate having a first means for coupling to said display unit and meansfor coupling a plurality of removable lamps to said base plate,comprising: i

at least one removable partition, and

two substantially identical mated molded parts, each of said moldedparts including a base portion and a wall portion extending from anupper surface of said base portion, said wall portions of said moldedparts and said upper surfaces of said molded parts forming an interiorregion of said lamp housing module, said wall portions including outerflanges on an exterior of said lamp housing module, said each moldedpart further including a support wall extending from a lower surface ofsaid base portion, said each support wall including a pair of inwardlyfacing flanges, said flanges and said lower surface forming an upper anda lower groove, lower grooves of said mated parts slidably engaging saidbase plate, said base portion having selected portions removed to formapertures in said module, said lamps extending into said interior regionthrough said apertures, upper grooves of said mated parts for securingsaid leaf spring, said leaf spring and said outer flanges provided asecond means for coupling to said display unit, said wall portions ofsaid interior regions having positioning means for slidably coupling asaid removable portion to said housing module, said partition adapted toisolate optically at least one of said plurality of lamps from aremainder of lamps 7. The lamp housing module of claim 6 for use inconjunction with a wire spring whereby said wall portions containcavities for securing said wire spring, said wire spring and said outflanges forming a third means for coupling to said display unit.

8. The lamp housing module of claim 6 wherein a one of said pair offlanges includes a projection for positioning said base plate, saidprojection engaging a notch in said base plate.

9. The lamp housing module of claim 8 wherein surfaces of said matedparts to be positioned in contact include cavities and pins, cavities ofa first of said mated parts engaging pins of said first mated partengaging cavities of said second mated part.

10. The lamp module of claim 9 wherein said parts are molded from highimpact plastic and wherein said molded parts are ultrasonically bondedtogether.

11. A lamp housing assembly for positioning a plurality of lamps in adisplay unit comprising:

at least one removable partition a lamp housing including twosubstantially identical molded mated parts, each of said molded partsincluding a base section and a housing wall extending from an uppersurface of said base section, said base sections and said housing wallsforming an interior of said lamp housing assembly, said housing wallshaving an exterior flange, said base sections having portion removed toform a plurality base section apertures in said lamp housing, each ofsaid molded parts further including a support wall extending from alower surface of said base section, each of said support walls includinga first and a second flange, said first flanges and said lower surfacesforming first grooves of said lamp housing, said first flanges and saidsecond flanges forming second grooves of said lamp housing, said housingwalls of said interior further including positioning means forpositioning and securing said at least one removable partition;

a base plate having means for removably coupling said plurality of lampsto said base plate, said base plate slidably engaged in said secondgrooves, said lamps coupled to said base plate extending into saidinterior region, said removable partition optically separating at leastone of said lamps from a remainder of said base plate further includingmeans for coupling said lamps to a controllable power source, said baseplate still further including a first coupling means for removablyattaching said lamp housing assembly to said display unit; and

at least one leaf spring, said leaf spring secured in said first groovesof said lamp housing, said leaf spring and said exterior flange being asecond coupling means for removably attaching said lamp housing assemblyto said display unit.

12. The lamp housing assembly of claim 11 wherein said one of said firstand second flanges includes a projection, and wherein said base plateincludes at least two notches, said lamp housing projections engagingsaid notches to position removably said base plate relative to said lampassembly.

13. The lamp housing assembly of claim 12 further including a wirespring, wherein said lamp housing walls have openings, said wire springbeing attached to said lamp housing by being inserted in said openings,said wire spring and said exterior flange forming a third means forcoupling said lamp housing assembly to said display unit.

14. The lamp housing assembly of claim 12 further including translucentareas, said translucent areas coupled to said lamp housing.

15. A display unit, utilizing a plurality of lamps for exhibitingpatterns, comprising:

at least one front panel including a plurality of translucent areas, aselected translucent area exhibiting a one of said patterns when saidarea is illuminated by at least one lamp; plurality of lamp housingassemblies, each of said assemblies supporting at least two removablelamps in an interior region of said assemblies, each lamp housingassembly including at least one partition and means for removablycoupling said partition to a remainder of said lamp housing assembly,said partition dividing said interior region, wherein two of saidtranslucent areas can be illuminated by said removable lamps when saidpartition is coupled to said remainder of said lamp housing assembly,wherein one of said translucent areas region can be illuminated by morethan one lamp when said partition is removed from said remainder of saidlamp housing assembly; and

support means for positioning a one of said lamp housing assembliesbehind a selected translucent area containing at least one of saidpatterns to be exhibited, wherein said support means includes movablemounting strips containing slots for removably engaging prongs of saidlamp housing assembly.

16. The display unit of claim 15 wherein said support means furtherincludes a display unit back plate and wherein said lamp housingassembly includes at least one leaf spring and an exterior rim formounting said lamp housing assembly to said display unit base plate. k

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 3,775,607 Datedmmbg; g 1913 Inventor(s) John W. Blomstedt Patent No.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 7, line 17, after "of", insert --said--.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of May 197E.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD H.LETCHER,JR. C MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 a u.s, eovznuuzbrr nmmm; ornc: son o-ug-sss,

FORM PC3-1050 (10 69)

1. A lamp housing assembly for supporting a plurality of lamps in adisplay unit comprising: at least one removable partition; a first partincluding a base section, first housing wall, a second housing wall anda third housing wall, said first housing wall extending above an uppersurface at an exterior side of said base section, said second and saidthird housing walls extending above said upper surface at ends of saidbase section, said first housing wall connected to said second and thirdhousing walls, said base section having portions removed from aninterior side of said base section, said first housing wall includingpositioning means; a second part substantially identical to said firstmolded part, said interior sides of said parts bonded together, whereinsaid third housing wall of each of said parts is bonded to said secondhousing walls of a remaining one of said part, said first, second andthird housing walls forming an interior region of said lamp housingassembly, said lamps extending into said interior region throughapertures formed by said portions removed from said base section, andsaid removable partition positioned in said interior region by saidpositioning means for optically separating at least one of said lampsfrom a remainder of said lamps; and a base plate including means forremovably coupling said plurality of lamps, said first and second partsfurther including fourth walls extending below a lower surface of saidexterior side of said base section, said fourth walls furthEr includingfirst grooves generally parallel to said lower surface on interior sidesof said fourth walls, said base plate slidably mounted in said firstgrooves.
 2. The lamp housing assembly of claim 1 wherein said base plateincludes a first coupling means for coupling said assembly to saiddisplay unit.
 3. The lamp housing assembly of claim 2 wherein said baseplate includes at least two notches and wherein each of said firstgrooves contains a flexible projection, said flexible projection of saidfirst and second parts engaging said grooves for positioning said baseplate removably in said first grooves.
 4. The lamp housing assembly ofclaim 3 further including at least one leaf spring, wherein each of saidfourth walls includes a second groove generally parallel to said lowersurface, and disposed between said first groove and said lower surface,wherein each of said first, second and third walls contain a flangeexterior to said lamp housing assembly, said leaf spring being coupledto said lamp housing assembly by engaging said second grooves, saidexterior flange and said coupled leaf spring forming a second couplingmeans for coupling said lamp housing assembly to said display unit. 5.The lamp housing assembly of claim 3 further including a wire spring,wherein each of said first housing walls including an opening, said wirespring being coupled to said lamp housing assembly be engaging saidopening, said coupled wire spring and said exterior flange providingthird coupling means for coupling said lamp housing assembly to saiddisplay unit.
 6. A display unit lamp housing module, said lamp housingmodule used in conjunction with a base plate and at least one leafspring, said base plate having a first means for coupling to saiddisplay unit and means for coupling a plurality of removable lamps tosaid base plate, comprising: at least one removable partition, and twosubstantially identical mated molded parts, each of said molded partsincluding a base portion and a wall portion extending from an uppersurface of said base portion, said wall portions of said molded partsand said upper surfaces of said molded parts forming an interior regionof said lamp housing module, said wall portions including outer flangeson an exterior of said lamp housing module, said each molded partfurther including a support wall extending from a lower surface of saidbase portion, said each support wall including a pair of inwardly facingflanges, said flanges and said lower surface forming an upper and alower groove, lower grooves of said mated parts slidably engaging saidbase plate, said base portion having selected portions removed to formapertures in said module, said lamps extending into said interior regionthrough said apertures, upper grooves of said mated parts for securingsaid leaf spring, said leaf spring and said outer flanges provided asecond means for coupling to said display unit, said wall portions ofsaid interior regions having positioning means for slidably coupling asaid removable portion to said housing module, said partition adapted toisolate optically at least one of said plurality of lamps from aremainder of lamps.
 7. The lamp housing module of claim 6 for use inconjunction with a wire spring whereby said wall portions containcavities for securing said wire spring, said wire spring and said outflanges forming a third means for coupling to said display unit.
 8. Thelamp housing module of claim 6 wherein a one of said pair of flangesincludes a projection for positioning said base plate, said projectionengaging a notch in said base plate.
 9. The lamp housing module of claim8 wherein surfaces of said mated parts to be positioned in contactinclude cavities and pins, cavities of a first of said mated partsengaging pins of said first mated part engaging cavities of said secondmated part.
 10. The lamp module of claim 9 wherein said parts are moldedfrom high impact plastic and wherein said molded parts areultrasonicaLly bonded together.
 11. A lamp housing assembly forpositioning a plurality of lamps in a display unit comprising: at leastone removable partition a lamp housing including two substantiallyidentical molded mated parts, each of said molded parts including a basesection and a housing wall extending from an upper surface of said basesection, said base sections and said housing walls forming an interiorof said lamp housing assembly, said housing walls having an exteriorflange, said base sections having portion removed to form a pluralitybase section apertures in said lamp housing, each of said molded partsfurther including a support wall extending from a lower surface of saidbase section, each of said support walls including a first and a secondflange, said first flanges and said lower surfaces forming first groovesof said lamp housing, said first flanges and said second flanges formingsecond grooves of said lamp housing, said housing walls of said interiorfurther including positioning means for positioning and securing said atleast one removable partition; a base plate having means for removablycoupling said plurality of lamps to said base plate, said base plateslidably engaged in said second grooves, said lamps coupled to said baseplate extending into said interior region, said removable partitionoptically separating at least one of said lamps from a remainder of saidbase plate further including means for coupling said lamps to acontrollable power source, said base plate still further including afirst coupling means for removably attaching said lamp housing assemblyto said display unit; and at least one leaf spring, said leaf springsecured in said first grooves of said lamp housing, said leaf spring andsaid exterior flange being a second coupling means for removablyattaching said lamp housing assembly to said display unit.
 12. The lamphousing assembly of claim 11 wherein said one of said first and secondflanges includes a projection, and wherein said base plate includes atleast two notches, said lamp housing projections engaging said notchesto position removably said base plate relative to said lamp assembly.13. The lamp housing assembly of claim 12 further including a wirespring, wherein said lamp housing walls have openings, said wire springbeing attached to said lamp housing by being inserted in said openings,said wire spring and said exterior flange forming a third means forcoupling said lamp housing assembly to said display unit.
 14. The lamphousing assembly of claim 12 further including translucent areas, saidtranslucent areas coupled to said lamp housing.
 15. A display unit,utilizing a plurality of lamps for exhibiting patterns, comprising: atleast one front panel including a plurality of translucent areas, aselected translucent area exhibiting a one of said patterns when saidarea is illuminated by at least one lamp; a plurality of lamp housingassemblies, each of said assemblies supporting at least two removablelamps in an interior region of said assemblies, each lamp housingassembly including at least one partition and means for removablycoupling said partition to a remainder of said lamp housing assembly,said partition dividing said interior region, wherein two of saidtranslucent areas can be illuminated by said removable lamps when saidpartition is coupled to said remainder of said lamp housing assembly,wherein one of said translucent areas region can be illuminated by morethan one lamp when said partition is removed from said remainder of saidlamp housing assembly; and support means for positioning a one of saidlamp housing assemblies behind a selected translucent area containing atleast one of said patterns to be exhibited, wherein said support meansincludes movable mounting strips containing slots for removably engagingprongs of said lamp housing assembly.
 16. The display unit of claim 15wherein said support means further includes a display unIt back plateand wherein said lamp housing assembly includes at least one leaf springand an exterior rim for mounting said lamp housing assembly to saiddisplay unit base plate.